I am tired of seeing those ‘coexist’ bumper stickers. You know- the ones with all the different religious symbols making up the letters of the word. Not that coexisting is a bad thing. It’s the message that the bumper sticker actually gives that wears me out.

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The message of the bumper sticker is that religions should all be getting along. The de-facto idea is that NONE of the differences you have should override getting along. The sticker’s idea would be that whatever it is that you disagree on should be ‘set’ aside for peace’s sake. Not that you can’t believe that- just don’t insist on it.

And that is my problem. See, an owner of said bumper sticker is saying that the religious person’s ideas are causing problems because they insist on them. The owner sees the solution in the form of ‘insisting’ on their own ideas! In essence, they aren’t saying ‘Coexist,’ they are saying ‘Submit!’ Specifically, submit to how they see the world should work.

One thing about the Easter story has always bothered me. It is not that big of a deal- more of a side issue really. Strike that- there was a prophecy about it, so it was a big deal, but it is not core to the whole ‘penal substitution thing.’ Read more

I recently preached a sermon about the trial of Jesus in Gethsemane. What was it about the cup of wrath that so terrified Him? I don’t ask lightly, nor do I ask cavalierly. My question comes from wanting to know and appreciate more what it was that He accomplished for me. I’ll take a look at one of the passages I used to reference the OT use of ‘the cup of wrath.’ Let’s look at Isa 51:17-18- Read more

Faith. Grace. Confession. Sinner’s prayer. Baptism. There are so many things that we say one has to do in order to be a Christian. I am not knocking any of them (except maybe the Sinner’s prayer!) but they aren’t really the issue. Again, don’t get me wrong here, faith and grace are center pieces in God’s dealings with humanity. But there is one thing that Jesus mentions and Paul goes to great length to describe as the litmus for Christianity . . . Read more